Coffin-holding device for hearses.



H. A. YEIDER.

COFFIN HOLDING DEVICE FOR HEARSES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2|. 1918.

UNITED STATES HARRY A. YEIDER, or GRANDVRAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

corr n-nonnme DEVICE FOR HEARSES."

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Aug. e, 1918.

Application filed February 21, 1918. Serial No. 218,426.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. YEIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coffin-Holding Devices for Hearses, of which the following is a specification:

The present invention relates to coflin-' holding devices for hearses; and its object is, generally, to provide an improved devlce for holding against movement the cofiin carried by the hearse; and further, to provide such a device whereby the cofiin may be yieldingly held; and further, to provide such a device whereby the coffin may be securely held although not in the center of the hearse; and further, to provide such a device whereby the holding members may be released by the opening of the hearses door; and further, to provide such a device whereby said members may be held in released position by swinging the door to its open position.

This object is attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the structure hereinafter particularly described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a hearse, showing a plan of its floor and a cofiin resting thereon, part of the cofiin and of the floor beneath it being broken away to show the parts beneath the floor; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a coffin-holding member and connected parts. 7

The coflin-holding members, 1, 2, 3, 4 are movable toward and away from each other, as in the slide bearings 5 respectively, cut through the floor 6 of the hearse. A pair 1, 3 of these members are desirably provided for holding engagement with one side of the coflin 7, and another pair, 2, 4 for such engagement with the cofiins other side. These members are yieldingly pressed into such engagement with the coffin by springs 8 connected at one end to said members respectively and at the other end preferably to a central fixed anchorage 9. The holding members are drawn against the pressure of the springs by flexible means, as the cords 10, connected to the members 1, 2 respectively and passing around pulleys 11, and cords 12 connected to the members 3, 4 respectively. These cords are connected to a pivoted arm, as the hinged doors 13, 14, so

that when the doors are swung to open position, (as is door 14) the cords are drawn and the holding members are moved (as are the members 2, to release the cofin. When the doors areclosed, as is door 13, thecords swing inwardly and the pressure of the springs tendsto retain the doors in closed position; but when the doors are opened, as is door 14, the cords swing outwardly to the other side of the axis of the doors hinge 15, so that the holding members are securely held from engagement with the cofiin and the springs tend to retain the doors in open position. i

It will be seen that the coifin is yieldingly held by the holding members and that although the coflin may be placed to one side or the other of the longitudinal center line of the hearse, the cofiin will nevertheless be held by the holding members on both sides, and without being pushed to one side or the other by the holders which are nearer the coffin on either side. The several springs may be regarded as one spring having divergent branches, for their operation is to draw all the holding members toward each other, and the anchorage 9 may be dispensed with.

The invention being intended to be pointed out by the claims severally, is not to be limited to or by details of construction shown or described.

I claim:

1. In a hearse; a plurality of coflin-holding members movable toward and away from each other; a spring pressing said members toward each other; means connected to said members and adapted to move them away from each other.

2. In a hearse; a pivoted arm; a plurality of cofiin-holding members movable toward and away from each other; a spring pressing said members toward each other; means connected to said members and to the arm 7 and adapted to move said members away from each other by the arms turning movement.

3. In a hearse; a pivoted arm; a plurality of cofiin-holding members movable toward and away from each other; a spring pressing said members toward each other; means connected to said members and to the arm and adapted to move said members away from each other by the arms turning movement and adapted to be swung by the arms said movement to one side of the arms pivot in one position of the arm and to'the other side of said pivot in another position of the arm.

4. In a hearse; a hinged door; a plurality of slide bearings; coilin-holding members slidable in said bearings toward and away from each other; springs pressing said members toward each other; flexible means connected to said members and to the door and adapted to move said members away from each other by the doors opening movement. a

5. In a hearse; a hinged door; a plurality of slide bearings; coflin-holding members slid-able in said'bearings toward and away from each other; springs pressing said members towardeach other; flexible means connected to said members and to the door and adaptedto move said members away from each other by the doors opening movement and adapted to be swung by the doors movement to one side of its hinge in the open position of the door and to the other side of said hinge in the doors closed position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Grand Rapids, hfliohig an, this 6th day of February, 1918.

HARRY A. YEIDEB.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of'mtents, Washington, D. C. 

